Fence-post



(No Model.)

D. N. BAY, D. I. FORBACRE 8v F. S. DYE.

FENCE POST.

No. 565,322. Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

5 w Y\\\L.\\-\ R u J m 3 3 M3 3 fl H m n) m D A n M i a a 1 \.Y\\m m 1. M .fi /fix \Z Z I h 2 4 m y m i w M F W NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID N. BAY, DEE I. FOREAORE, AND FORD S. DYE, OF CAMBRIDGE, OHIO.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,322, dated August 4, 1896.

Application filed May 21, 1896. Serial No. 592,383. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, DAVID N. BAY, DEE I. FOREACRE, and FORD S. DYE, of Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Fence- Post, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in fence-posts, and especially to that class of posts which are constructed of terra-cotta or other plastic material.

The object of the invention is to provide a post which will be open at the back, in order that staples or other fastening devices may be readily introduced through the front of the post and secured at the rear for the purpose of holding fence-wires in position, and furthermore to so construct each post that it will have an anchorage at the base, which anchorage will be of a width greater than at any other point, and will have an upward inclination, serving to effectually prevent the post from being forced upward by the frost in the ground.

Another object of this invention is to construct the post in such manner that a maximum quantityinaybe made from a minimum of material, and whereby the completed posts may be packed together in such way as to occupy a minimum of room in transportation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of two of the improved posts, illustrating the application thereto of fence-wires. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a column of material from which the two posts are constructed, and likewise illustrating the manner in which two posts are placed together for transportation. Fig.

3 is a perspective view of one of the posts viewed from the rear, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the posts having a different cross-sectional shape from the posts shown in the other views.

In carrying out the invention two posts are formed from a hollow column A of terracotta or other plastic material, and the said column may be rectangular or polygonal in cross-section, or it may have a circular crosssectional shape, as shown in Fig. 4. While the column of material is yet soft an upwardlyinclined out 10 is made in one side of the column near one end, the said out l0 being met by two side cuts 10 which extend from the aforesaid side out 1O downwardly in direction of the opposite side to a point near the opposite end to that at which the aforesaid cut 10 is formed; and the lower ends of the diagonal cuts 10 connect with an upwardly-extending cut 10, extending through the opposite side surface of the column, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. Under this construction two posts B are formed from a single column of material without any waste, each post having a straight front face 11 and straight side faces 11, the top edge having an upward inclination, and the rear edges 13 of the sides 11 are inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the top in direction of the bottom; but the base or bottom portion 14 of a post is wider at its sides 11 than at any other point in the length of the sides, and at the upper rear portion of the base 14 an upwardly-inclined lip 15 is produced.

The base is inclosed at both the front and back and at the sides, but the remaining portion of the post is open at the back, so that the staples 16, adapted to hold fence-wires 17 in engagement with the outer faces of the.

post, may be passed through openings 18,

made in the aforesaid outer faces, as shown in Fig.2, the said openings being produced in the posts before the material of which they are made is burned or hardened. The base of the post is entirely concealed beneath the surface of the ground when the said post is in use, and the. base when constructed as above set forth forms such an anchorage for the post that the post is not liable to be raised by the action of the frost in the ground, while the open back facilitates the attachment of the fence-wires, and the inclined rear edges economize in material, and yet do not detract materially from the strength of the post.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fence-post consisting of a hollow tile having its base inclosed on all sides and provided with an upwardly-extending lip, the rear of the tile above the base being open, as and for the purpose specified.

2. A fence-post having its back portion open to a point near its base, said base being inolosed and being of greater width than the other portions of the post, extending beyond the rear edges of the body of the post, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A post provided with a substantially straight front and sides and an entirely inclosed base, the rear edges of the sides of the post being inclined from a point in front of base having an upward inclination, forming an anchorage for the base in the ground, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A post provided with a substantially straight front and sides, and an entirely inolosed base, the rear edges of the sides of the post being inclined from a point in front of the rear upper edge of the base upwardly and forwardly, the upper projecting portion of the base having an upward inclination, forming an anchorage for the base in the ground, the front face of the post being provided with openings therein to receive staples, the said openings being accessible from the rear since the rear of the post above the base is open, as and for the purpose specified.

DAVID N. BAY. DEE I. FOREAGRE. FORD S. DYE. Witnesses:

ROBERT MCKAHAN, Ovens F. WILSON. 

